IAEA and Oppenheimer Project Partner to Promote Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation

In a landmark initiative to expand global awareness and cooperation on the peaceful applications of nuclear technology, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Oppenheimer Project have signed a Practical Arrangements agreement aimed at deepening collaboration and fostering stakeholder engagement. The agreement, signed at the IAEA’s headquarters in Vienna, brings together two influential voices in nuclear discourse to enhance partnerships, communication strategies, and education initiatives around safe, peaceful nuclear technologies.

A Legacy of Internationalism and Peace

The Oppenheimer Project is a non-profit organization founded by Charles Oppenheimer, grandson of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the renowned physicist and scientific director of the Manhattan Project’s Los Alamos Laboratory. The Project is inspired by the elder Oppenheimer’s post-war advocacy for international control and cooperation in the nuclear age. Its mission today focuses on advancing the peaceful, responsible use of nuclear energy while supporting non-proliferation and the reduction of nuclear weapons globally.

Speaking at the signing, Charles Oppenheimer emphasized the enduring importance of global collaboration in the face of accelerating technological change.

“International cooperation has always been the key to expanding peaceful uses of nuclear energy,” he said. “We’re honoured to partner with the IAEA, an organization at the forefront of global nuclear leadership.”

Strengthening an Emerging Partnership

This new agreement formalizes recent joint activities between the two organizations. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi praised the deepening relationship:

“With this new partnership agreement, we will work towards a more structured approach to our collaboration, further enhancing the Agency’s support to its Member States.”

The signing occurred during the IAEA’s first International Conference on Stakeholder Engagement for Nuclear Power Programmes, a timely venue for unveiling the partnership, given the shared focus on building public trust and awareness around nuclear power.

Recent and Ongoing Collaborations

The IAEA and the Oppenheimer Project have already engaged in several high-level initiatives together:

• Charles Oppenheimer was a featured speaker at last week’s stakeholder engagement conference and a panellist at the 2024 Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels, where he addressed the critical role of private sector financing in new nuclear projects.

• He also delivered keynote remarks at the inaugural IAEA Nuclear Stakeholder Engagement School, held in partnership with the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy, in November 2024.

• The IAEA participated in the Oppenheimer Dialogue Funder Roundtable in San Francisco in January 2025, bringing together climate philanthropists to explore a unified vision for the future of nuclear energy technologies.

• Additionally, both organizations co-hosted a side event during last week’s IAEA conference, signaling the depth and momentum of this growing collaboration.

Scope of the Three-Year Agreement

The new three-year agreement will support a broad range of cooperative efforts, including:

• Joint participation in global events that promote the peaceful use of nuclear technologies

• Stakeholder engagement strategies that enhance public understanding and trust

• Youth engagement and leadership development, especially among women and underrepresented groups

• Exploring the intersections of nuclear energy, climate change, Artificial Intelligence, and public policy

• Support for the IAEA’s Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme, which empowers women pursuing graduate studies in nuclear fields through scholarships and internships

Towards a Sustainable Nuclear Future

This partnership arrives at a critical moment, as nuclear power is increasingly recognized as a low-carbon solution vital to tackling the climate crisis. Yet, public perception, financing hurdles, and policy uncertainties remain barriers to wider adoption. Through initiatives like this, the IAEA and the Oppenheimer Project aim to build coalitions of support, educate new generations, and broaden global access to nuclear science and technology.

The agreement between the IAEA and the Oppenheimer Project marks a strategic alignment between international institutions and civil society to promote nuclear energy for peace, sustainability, and global equity. As Charles Oppenheimer aptly put it, the focus is on “nuclear for good” — and this partnership is poised to amplify that message to communities and decision-makers worldwide.